MODEL UNITED NATIONS OF BUDAPEST - MUNAPEST
TERMS AND CONDITIONS

All applicants hereinafter referred to as “you” or “the participant”, of the Model United Nations of Budapest conference. By applying to attend through the application forms, you accept and agree to these Terms and Conditions.We reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. In the case of changes, we will notify you by email. The most up-to-date copy of the terms can be found on our website.

Who organises the conference?

The Munapest Organising Team, on behalf of Nemzetközi Diplomáciai Társaság, a registered civic association in Hungary, and the International Diplomatic Student Association, a registered society of the Corvinus University of Budapest. In these Terms and Conditions, they are collectively referred to as “the Organising Team”, “we” or “us”.

Eligibility

Munapest welcomes youth from all states who are between the age of 18 and 28 at the time of the conference.Applicants should be enrolled in a high school, university, or be a recent graduate under the age of 28.All applicants may apply individually, or as a delegation.

Application process

Application online – if eligible and accepted, we confirm and ask for the participation fee

List of information/data we require:

Name

Date of Birth

Address

Citizenship

E-mail address

Institution of higher education, major, year

Professional experience

Once received we will send a receipt

List of information we require after payment has been made:

Data concerning special diet and food allergies

Passport size photo of the participant

In case the applicant does not send these information to the Organisers until the given deadline there will be consequences:

Lack of the picture will result in not being able to create the badge, which also serves as the weekly public transport pass for foreign participants. This means that the applicant will not have a weekly public transport arranged by Munapest. Additionally, without a picture on the badge, we cannot check the participation eligibility of the individual, hence, they will not be able to enter our venues.

Lack of an indication of special diet or food allergies will result in having normal lunches, snacks and dinner.

We are only able to accept an application if it adheres to the following requirements:

must be between the age 18 and 28 at the time of the conference

have paid the registration fee by the given deadline.

All applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Once maximum capacity is reached, delegates will be able to apply to be placed on a waitlist.

Payment

On top of the registration fee, all applicants are required to bear the costs of all bank charges. If the transaction fee is not added to the registration fee, we will require the participant to pay the amount in cash on the first day of the conference.The Munapest organisers have the right to cancel any registration without warning if the fee is not paid until the given deadline.Payment can be made only via bank transfer.

Visa

Upon request, successful applicants will be issued a Letter of Invitation from Munapest stating the status of their participation at Munapest after a background check. Applicants may use the Letter of Invitation in their visa acquisition process.Munapest 2019 is not responsible for any participants’ visa into Budapest, Hungary. It is the participant’s responsibility to secure the necessary documentation to enter Budapest. Munapest is willing to refund applicants who did not manage to secure a visa, but the transaction costs must be borne by the applicant.

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations, by individuals or groups, must be given in writing to admin@munapest.com.PaybackIf the written cancellation is received by the Organisers until 14th February, a full refund will be issued.If the written cancellation is received by the Organisers until 1st March, the 50% of the credit/refund will be issued.If the written cancellation is received by the Organisers after 1st March, we are not able to pay back refund.However, if you are unable to attend due to exceptional personal circumstances, or due to being denied a Visa to Hungary, please email Head of Administration (admin@munapest.com) and Conference Manager (conference.manager@munapest.com) who will consider each request on its own merits. The decision of the Conference Manager is final.

What happens if Munapest gets cancelled?

In the highly unlikely circumstance that Munapest 2019 is cancelled after you have made a payment, we will endeavour to refund you the registration fee within 30 days. However, as the cancellation of the event might be the outcome of serious complications, no guarantees can be made for the refund.

Programme Changes

Munapest reserves the right to make alterations to the programme, date and/or venue at any time without prior notice.

Damaged or stolen belongings

While we will do our utmost to ensure that Munapest 2019 runs smoothly, this cannot be guaranteed. By applying to Munapest 2019 you accept that we are not liable for any injury, or loss or damage to property incurred at or connected to Munapest 2019.Nothing in these conditions limits or excludes our responsibility for fraudulent representations made by us or for personal injury or personal death caused by our negligence or willful misconduct.By applying to Munapest 2019, you accept that you are personally liable for any damage that you cause and agree to compensate us for any costs and/or penalties we incur as a result of the damage caused.

Photographs and video footage

By accepting the Terms & Conditions, the participant agrees to have photographs taken of them at the event and licenses us the use of the images and video footage. The photographs and video footages can be used for promotional purposes by the Organiser Team in accordance with our Data Protection Policy. The license will not be sold to 3rd parties.

Policy on freedom of speech and harassment

The purpose of Model United Nations is to allow many different and often opposing views to be discussed and debated, without fear of harassment. We believe that this can be achieved only if all concerned avoid needlessly offensive or provocative action and language, which is why we require you to use diplomatic language (even if this isn’t used by real-world diplomats). While we encourage you to best represent the interests of the country or organisation you are representing, you must remember that Munapest is very diverse, and you should show respect and not violate another person’s dignity. Hate speech and incitement to violence is proscribed under the laws of Hungary, and anyone found to be inciting hatred or violence will be expelled from the conference, and we may be required to report them to the Police.

As a society registered at Corvinus University of Budapest, we follow the University’s Code of Ethics. By applying to attend Munapest, you agree to follow this Code of Ethics. Anyone who feels harassed during the conference should address their concerns either to their Chairs or directly to the Secretary-General or Conference Manager, who have a duty to implement this Code of Ethics.

Code of Conduct

All participants in Munapest 2019 are required to abide by the rules specified in this document whilst attending the conference at the University; to best ensure the comfort, safety, and enjoyment of all involved with proceedings. As an event organised by a student society of Corvinus University of Budapest, we are also required to implement the policies and procedures specified in the University’s Code of Ethics.To participate in Munapest 2019, you must:1.) Act kindly and courteously towards other participants, without violating the chosen and identified personal boundaries of others.2.) Display professionalism and integrity at all times, acting fairly and honestly throughout the duration of the conference. All participants are expected to dress in a business-appropriate attire during all chamber sessions.3.) Not engage in criminal activity during the conference, including the handling or consumption of illicit substances.4.) Not threaten other with or use violence, or act aggressively against any other participant in the conference. Munapest should be a safe environment where all should be able to feel comfortable. Bullying or intimidation of any kind will not be tolerated.5.) Respect all other participants; without unfairly discriminating against anyone on the grounds of (dis)ability, age, belief, ethnicity, gender, nationality, race, religion, or sexual orientation.Additionally, members of Secretariat, Presidents, and other conference staff shouldn’t act in a manner that brings either them or their role into disrepute over the course of Munapest 2019. Our conference has a very prestigious reputation, which we seek to uphold for future sessions of Munapest. During the conference, members of staff will try to be accessible to attendees, addressing their concerns adequately and responsibly when needed; acting appropriately and with sensitivity to matters which require confidentiality and privacy.By taking up a position as a delegate, chair, director, or any other role at Munapest 2019, you agree to follow this Code of Conduct. Breaches of the rules provided for in this document can result in appropriate sanctions, including being asked to leave the conference in the most serious cases. The Secretary-General has the final decision on all matters related to this Code of Conduct, although they may delegate authority to make judgements relating to it to other members of the Munapest Secretariat. The Secretary-General reserves the right to amend this document if necessary at any time.

All the information and resources available through any of our websites, social media accounts or at the conference in an electronic or hard copy is the intellectual property of Nemzetközi Diplomáciai Társaság and may not be reproduced or used without the written permission of Nemzetközi Diplomáciai Társaság. We may also use copyrighted material under license from the copyright holder, and this material must not be reproduced or used in any way without the permission of the copyright holder. The relevant court of Hungary has jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of this contract, and this contract is governed by the provisions of Hungarian law.However, if you would like any help or to use our resources, please email admin@munapest.com and we would be happy to help.

On Day 0, the Sightseeing Tour takes place, where the participants can not only get to know the gems of Budapest and their future familiar routes for the week, but also meet their chamber members before the sessions. With the help of the Event Coordination Team, all can get to the heart of Budapest in daylight and try out different Hungarian specialties, such as handcrafted lavender ice cream on their way to the next sight.
Professional opportunities are also provided in forms of workshops of various levels and topics for all chambers. Last but not least, the awaited meeting of the Organising Team and the participants can finally also take place in person.

One of the most gracefully elegant social of the week is the fancy, business Committee Dinner, where tasty Hungarian dishes, networking opportunities and professional connections are served in a historic and fancy ballroom. Each year, participants can enjoy this evening with their new acquaintances and their own home delegations, while taking amazing professional photos and planning where to go next. The Dinner is followed by a loose and fun social party with well-fed diplomats enjoying the nightlife of Budapest.

The Diplomats’ Soirée is held up on Gellért Hill, where the participants can get the perfect view of the city at sunset, including the Parliament, the Chain Bridge and the hill itself. This black tie event is a formal reception, requiring such dress code.
Participants have the opportunity for a higher level of networking, including ambassadors, directors of related institutions, delegates and their fellow chamber members as well, with a glass of champagne. After listening to speeches and openings, or having taken hundreds of sunset photos, the participants may move to the next station of their night, which is usually a fancier social party.

Considering the fact that people from many different countries will meet at the conference, we, the Organisers, would like to make sure that all of the participants have the possibility to introduce their culture to the others on the Multicultural Night. Let it be your secret talent of singing, dancing, a traditional folkdance, we are all open-heartedly waiting for you to show us that piece of your home, if you are eager to do so!

State interests do not always require the consensus of an entire Chamber but only the agreement of two or more States. Delegates will be able to achieve their aims, gain resources as well as support possible allies by signing bilateral or multilateral Treaties.
However, only a limited amount of resources will be at the disposal of Delegations – money will often be in short supply.. Furthermore, resources will not only be required for signing treaties but also for dealing with unexpected Crisis events, so Delegates must be mindful of their spending!

States represented in multiple Chambers will be considered Delegations, that have common aims and resources. Each Chamber will have a designated level of representation, so Participants could be Foreign Ministers or Ambassadors to the UN, just to name a few possibilities.

Being at the top of a delegation’s Hierarchy will come with many rights but also responsibilities. A Delegation’s top Representative (a Head Delegate) will be the only one authorised to approve Bilateral and multilateral Treaties in the name of their State.
A Diplomatic Corps (or CD delegate) is considered as the right hand of the Head Delegate and will often be invited to other Chambers to speak on behalf of their Delegation.
The Financial Committee Delegate, responsible for the budget of a Delegation, and the CD delegate, who supposed to represent the needs and expertise of all lower level members of the delegation are together the advisors of the Head Delegates. They will support them in making hard decisions regarding what the Delegation should focus on and where to allocate the Delegation’s limited resources.

Lower level delegates are supposed to feed the CD member with information that might come handy in other Chambers or during the decision-making procedure of the Head Delegate and its advisors.

As the financial backbone of the conference, Financial Committee members will have the task of preserving the limited resources of their individual States’ to the most crucial projects their Delegations might want to achieve. With also having a main topic to discuss and treaties to support or talk others out from, these delegates will have a major impact on the course of the conference. Before a Head Delegate may make any decision regarding resources, it would be highly encouraged to ask the opinion of the respective Financial Committee Member supposed to support his or her decision-making.

Being the eyes and ears of the conference, Press Members are tasked with not letting any relevant happening go undetected. Press Members are, during the simulation, employees of a News Agency which have been carefully selected according to the certain topic and relevant states at hand. There, they will have to work to cover the events of the Conference from their Agency’s point of view, providing a certain degree of bias. Depending on the Agency, Press Members may also have to support some States’ interests through their reporting.
For the rest of the Conference, the Press Corps will be the primary source of up-to-date information from all the other Chambers. It will be essential to follow news published as in each article, as one might expect, the devil is in the details.
By introducing the Press Conference, Press Corps Members will have a chance to be in the spotlight and steal the show by provoking and testing representatives of their preparedness, ideas and standpoints.

For us to be able to introduce a main narrative connecting each chamber and to engage the highest number of states, changes and developments to real-life situations are sometimes inevitable. Without the concept of diverging reality, many chambers might not be able to contribute to the most exciting topics or some states might feel neglected to a level of boredom. Fear not! Our team of young experts in the field of international law are eager to connect the dots for these occasions and artificially create situations which in real life might not occur but are valid and believable scenarios. This way, real-life events, that would require attention from the international community but are ignored due to their low intensity, can be lifted into the spotlight for real examination. This leads to our participants getting to know about minor events in the world that have the potential to cause real harm to international peace and security. Chambers will have to discuss their own individual topics at hand but a crisis might just cause a twist for some that will dictate them to change their thinking, their sides and adapt to the new setting laid ahead of them.

With the topics and chambers being interconnected, it is up to a small proportion of participants to keep the delegates of their represented states focused on their own agendas while also serving the bigger picture and the main interests of their represented states. The Diplomatic Corps (or as the French acronym composes: CD (Corps Diplomatique) is an independent body that is supposed to coordinate the efforts of all members of their state’s delegation. This allows them to achieve a higher level of communication between states and also leads to a higher degree of interconnectedness. These delegates will serve as “grey eminences” throughout the conference gathering information from lower hierarchy delegates, helping the head delegate making decisions, and disseminating information, coordinating the efforts of the delegation as a whole.

International relations and challenges of the 21st Century cannot be understood if we do not take into consideration the magnitude of the interdependence of certain issues, topics or regions. That is why, during Munapest, we attempt to scrutinize our general topic and main narrative with the help of each and every chamber having a small slice that they contribute to this comprehensive approach. This is called interconnectivity. Each participant is committed to resolving one major issue by doing its part and keeping in mind that their actions may have unforeseeable consequences for others if they act irresponsibly. Further deepening the interconnectivity, we created various channels: the Press whose goal is to gather and distribute information throughout the whole conference, the economic system to implement a crucial segment of diplomacy and the Diplomatic Corps is introduced to Munapest in 2019 as well.